Take a deep breath. Crack those knuckles. Grab that pen and gift list. Because ’tis the season for holiday shopping. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, don’t fret. Because shopping for presents can be A Lot, we put together an all-encompassing lineup featuring our most popular holiday gift guides and star ideas from each — all culled from our wealth of anonymous shopping data. Since holiday gifting season has only begun, we took a deep dive into gift guides from last year to see which gifts our readers (and their lucky recipients) loved the most.
Keep checking back throughout December as we refresh this gift roster with the freshest favorites from our gift guides worth putting a bow on. We now present you, dear reader, with our list of the best gift ideas for the 2023 holiday season. Scroll on to shop.
Best Fashion Gifts
Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag 1L Fleece, $58
In our roundup about what fashion lovers really want this holiday, our chic shoppers made it clear that it’s this fleece belt bag. This sleek fleece version of the Lululemon best-selling belt bag is a perfect addition to your cozy-filled wardrobe as the temperatures drop.
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Best Anthropologie Gifts
Anthropologie Grecian Bust Pot, $28+
The R29 Shopping team is very into Anthropologie — especially where gifts are concerned. Since we spend most of our days picking out stuff for others, we decided to put together a holiday special highlighting our wish-listed favorites from its crowd-pleasing selection. From the pool of Anthro presents that our product-obsessed writers and editors would like to give and get, this unique Grecian bust was the top-bought gifting pick.
Under-$100 Gifts From Nordstrom Rack
Thread & Supply Cardi Coat, $26.97
Thank goodness for Nordstrom Rack, which is brimming with affordable gift-worthy finds. This comfortable but chic Thread & Supply coat is a top choice for shoppers. (Whether it’s for them or someone else, we can’t say.) This under $30 is a great gift for anybody who wants to up their outerwear game without sacrificing comfort.
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The Best Gifts From Sephora
Tatcha Plumping Dewy Skin Essentials Set, $87
Sephora is a winter wonderland replete with limited-time-only gift sets that often happen to be a bargain. Our guide to the most splurge-worthy sets includes everything from mega palettes of dazzling eyeshadows to luxury skincare, but the best seller (perhaps not surprisingly) was a dewy moisturizing set from Tatcha. R29 editor-favorite beauty brand Tatcha has a number of popular products, but we love the idea of gifting something every makeup-loving recipient will be happy to see. It’s a great introduction to the brand and a gift you’ll know they’ll use.
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Best Loungeware Gifts
Skims Cozy Knit Pant, $88 $44
PJs and the holidays go hand in hand, but rather than opting for a festive set that won’t get worn after January 1, get them something they’ll wear year-round. Our roundup of giftable loungewear features plenty of cozy, chic pairings, but the crème de la crème is Skim’s stretchy, sexy knit set. Made from plush boucle yarn, it’s the perfect thing to hibernate in this winter.
Best Fitness Gifts
Stanley 40 oz. Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler $45
Shopping for fitness gifts can be tricky: You want a gift the yogi or Crossfitter in your life will actually use, but you don’t want to give them something totally boring since it’s a gift, after all. Our fitness gift guide is for anyone facing that problem, and you don’t even have to be shopping for a gym rat to appreciate the most popular item on the guide: Stanley’s now-iconic massive drink tumbler, for any and everyone who likes to hydrate on the go.
Best Amazon Home Decor Gifts
Friade Wood Magazine Wall Rack, $35 $33
Ah, Amazon. A procrastinator’s paradise. But Prime delivery doesn’t have to mean everyone gets Command strip hooks or Alexa-enabled devices. In addition to an endless sea of purely functional products, you can find design-forward pieces that look way more expensive than they actually are. Our guide to the best Amazon home buys is perfect for host gifts, stocking stuffers, and white-elephant exchanges, and many are available with that oh-so-convenient two-day shipping.
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Unique Holiday Gift Ideas
Tushy Classic 3.0 Bidet, $129 $99
Despite the over-$100 price tag, our shoppers know a unique gift when they see one. Enter: The Tushy Classic 3.0 bidet attachment, which is an easy-to-install contraption that squirts sink water (not toilet bowl water) to clean your “soiled” areas after you’re done with any bathroom business. Our senior writer found it to be stylish and user-friendly — but if you don’t want to take our word for it, check out the bidet’s currently perfect rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 16,750 reviewers. Writes one customer with a squeaky bum, “It’s so easy to set up, there’s just no reason to not have a pooper as clean as mine.”
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Best Luxury Gifts
Boy Smells x Grace Jones Grace Scented Candle, $52
Sometimes, a splurgy gift is the order of the day. Whether you’re treating your sweetie or showing major gratitude to a best friend or family member, there is no shortage of high-ticket items out there. But you want to make sure your extravagant outlay actually pays off. That’s where our guide to luxury gifts comes in. Take, for example, this luxurious Grace Jones Scented candle from the Boy Smells x Grace Jones collab that was inspired by the model-singer-actor’s home country of Jamaica, boasting notes of bergamot, black pepper, freesia blossom, and waterlily.
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Cool Gifts For Difficult People
Women’s Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck Sweater, $50; Men’s Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck Sweater, $59.90
Cold weather is back, baby! Time to get your sweaters out of your storage boxes, pull out those tights, and enjoy the winter for all its worth. Quince does it best with its 100% cashmere sweaters starting at just $50. It’s also the perfect gift since it’s all the luxury without the dent in your pocketbook.
Omsom The Try ‘Em All Set, $99
It appears that some of our most difficult friends to shop for still love to eat! This set of 10 noodle boxes and 15 sauce packets with Asian flavors comes in at just under $100 and is a sure thing crowd-pleaser. The AAPI-owned brand sells this set so that you can test out all of its flavors to find your favorite and make a restaurant-quality meal in under fifteen minutes — hopefully earning yourself an invite to your giftee’s dinner table. We’ll cheers to that!
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Best Chanukah Gifts
Oy Vey Socks, $30
While most gifts in our guide will work for any winter holiday celebration, we still have to give a special shout-out to the Festival of Lights with a roundup of gifts for grown-ups that are cool, not corny. And the top-bought gift is none other than these cheeky socks from Kule that make the Yiddish phrase into a high-fashion moment.
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The Best Lifestyle Home Gifts
In Good Taste Wine Advent Calendar, $139.99
Present your vino-loving friend with an advent calendar to help them find their new favorite wine. From reds to whites, this calendar has it all: it comes with 24 mini bottles of premium wine, sourced from Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, and California.
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The Crowd-Pleasing Gifts Already On Sale
Lo & Sons Waverly 2 Convertible Bag, $210.00 $126
Our readers sure love Lo & Sons, the reader-favorite, editor-approved, female-founded, AAPI-owned, and sustainably made brand behind everyone’s favorite bags. It’s no shocker that this bag meets all the criteria of a solid gift — it comes in over 26 colorways and four different types of leather, has rave reviews, and is even a former Refinery29 MVP product. Make sure to cart this multifunctional bag while it’s on sale.
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Best Affordable Christmas Gift Ideas
Momofuku Chili Crunch Variety Pack, $48 $45
Can your recipient handle the heat of Momofuku chili? Only time will tell. This Chili Crunch Variety Pack comes with three flavors of spicy-crunchy chili oil: Chili Crunch, Black Truffle, and Extra Spicy to put your tastebuds to the test all for under $50.
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The Best Under-$100 Gifts
Cadence Build A System, $98+
Every good traveler, whether adventuring via boat, plane, or automobile, knows which toiletries they can’t leave home without. Whether they just want some shampoo and Advil or can’t pack a bag without their 12-step skincare routine, Cadence offers the perfect sustainable solution with convenient refillable vessels to stash all your self-care goodies. The custom starter pack offers you the option to personalize your whole system, from the sizes to labels starting at just $98.
Best Gifts Under $50
DadoDadoDesigns Disco Ball Plant Hanger With Retro Packaging, $35
With over 1,200 solid reviews, this Disco Ball Plant Hanger is one funkadelic gift for under $50. We love how this fun plant hanger spices up a space with some shimmer and retro vibes.
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Best Sex Toy Gifts
Tracy’s Dog Rosie Portable Rose Clit Sucker, $49.99
A sex toy under the tree isn’t for everyone, but if your group chat spends as much time discussing viral vibrators as they do the latest Netflix binge, they’ll love it. And, of course, a vibrator makes the perfect couple’s gift — at the holidays or any time of year. Every vibrator on our list is a sure-fire toe-curling self-care sesh waiting to happen. But we wanted to specifically call out Tracy’s Dog’s Rosie, a clit-sucking toy that our sex writer says is guaranteed to leave you feeling like you just visited a Bachelor fantasy suite. We do accept this rose.
Cool Gifts For Guys
Lululemon ABC Jogger, $128
Tapered, elevated joggers: good. College-era sweatpants with elastic that’s given up on life: not so good. Lululemon’s beloved ABC Joggers strike a perfect balance between comfort and style, making them an ideal gift for dads, bros, husbands, and more.
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Best Candle Gifts
Firebox Basically Dead Candle, $7.95
A good candle gift can be an enticing scent that they can enjoy time and time again, but don’t pass over candles that favor form over smell. Our collection of unique candles involves a variety of sculptural options, both scented and unscented, that all have that “where did you even find this?” appeal. This gravestone, for example, will leave them wondering if they can even bring themselves to light it.
Best Affordable White Elephant Gifts
Bombas Women’s Merino Wool Blend Calf Socks, $27.99
Sometimes, we’re pleasantly shocked (and delighted) by what turns out to be the best sellers from our shopping stories. Case in point: luxurious Merino wool calf socks. What you see is what you get — it doesn’t make noise, and it’s not an ornament. It basically serves no other purpose than providing comfort to your giftees’ dogs. Is that enough? Our shoppers think so! Writes one reviewer: “I have worn your ‘regular’ Bombas for several years and love them. But this year I decided to try your Merino Wool Blend for the first time. I am so glad I did. They are like wearing silk on my feet. You can bet your boots I’ll be ordering more.”
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Best Advent Calendar Gifts
McCrea’s Handcrafted Caramel Advent Calendar, $40
In a non-surprising turn of events, the In Good Taste Wine Advent Calendar was again the #1 hit amongst wine lovers, but another fan favorite was McCrea’s Handcrafted Caramel. This set of 24 small-batch caramels features everything from classic flavors like Cape Cod sea salt to more adventurous ones like dark roasted mocha.
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Best Self-Care Gift Ideas
Theragun Mini, $199
Small enough for travel but powerful enough to soothe the sorest muscles, the Theragun Mini is the gift to give whoever on your list most deserves some serious self-care as we round out 2023. Don’t have a spare $199 to spend? Plenty of the picks on our self-care guide come in at under $50 and will still provide plenty of relief.
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Best Gifts For Gamers
Usagi Bunny Club Kawaii Nintendo Switch Protective Case/Shell, $27.95
Our gifts for gamers prove that there’s a presnt for every style. Take, for example, these kawaii cases for a Nintendo Switch that also happen to come with a free Animal Crossing clothes code with each purchase. If you are a lover of all things cute (and a regular gamer), one of these protective cases is a fun way to add some cuteness to your daily routine.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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